Multi-color pencil



April 1959 w. GERMANN MUL'II-COLOR PENCIL Filed Oct. 7, 1953 MULTI-COLOR PENCIL Werner Germann, Geneva, Switzerland, assignor to Fabrique Suisse de Crayons Caran dAche S.A., Geneva, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Application October 7, 1953, Serial No. 384,677

1 Claim. (Cl. 12014.5)

The present invention relates to a multi-color pencil -of the type comprising a pointed tubular body in which are arranged several complete pencil units adapted to be moved selectively to operative position at the point of the tubular body against the action of a return spring.

The pencil also includes gripping means at the point of said body adapted to hold each selected pencil unit in operative position. There is also provided means to permit retraction of the selected unit by releasing the said gripping means.

The multi-color pencil according to the invention is characterized in that each lead pencil unit, in which the lead is engaged, has its own clasp for gripping the lead,

United States Patent said clasp being adapted to be inserted in and withdrawn from a primary clasp on the body or the shell of the pencil itself.

The accompanying drawing shows, by way of example, two forms of construction of the pencil in accordance with the invention.

Figure l is an axial section of the first embodiment.

Figure 2 is a view, on a smaller scale, of one of the cam sleeves of the first embodiment.

Figure 3 is a vertical section of the second embodiment.

Figure 4 is a view in section on line 4--4 of Figure 3.

Similar references designate like parts in the several views.

This multi-color pencil comprises a hollow and tapered or pointed main body 1 in which are provided several colored lead pencil units 2 whose individual construction is immaterial, except that each has its own clasp, but' one of which will be briefly hereinafter referred to in part. I

In both forms each lead pencil unit 2 has an integral knob or finger engaging tab 3 adapted to slide in a slot 4 of the body 1 and making it possible to bring the nected to body 1 by its enlarged outer end 7 supported in a web or spider 7a of said body and whose other end has an annular flange providing a shoulder 8 which serves as an abutment for one end of said spring 5. The other or outer end of the spring engages the inturned edge 9 of a tubular casing element 10 which forms a part of each unit 2 and carries the finger piece or push tab 3. The spring 5, therefore, normally maintains its related lead pencil unit casing 10 and its tab 3 in retracted position.

The casing 10 supports a conventional threaded feeding device for lead 11, said device comprising a push rod 'ice 12 angularly interlocked with the shank 13 of the clasp 22 in which the lead of the individual unit is held, when the conical face 23 thereof cooperates with main clasp 15.

In this form of construction, the feeding movement of lead 11 can be effected by hand only when the corresponding lead holding unit has been brought into the operative position. It will then be sufficient to rotate clasp 22 in order to cause a feeding movement of lead 11. Rotation of clasp 22 with respect to casing element 10 which is angularly fixed, causes a corresponding rotation of push rod 12 whose rear part 12a cooperates with the threaded portion 10a of casing element 10 and causes a forward or backward movement of push rod 12. I It should be noted that part 12a is flat and is engaged in a longitudinal slot of clasp 22 extending on the rear part of that clasp. Clasp 22 is axially stationary in part 10a because of a flange 22a with which it is provided and which is guided in a crirnped portion 10b at the end of casing element 10. Such a lead-feeding mechanism is well known.

A cage 29 in body 1 terminates in the aforesaid main clasp 15 consisting of a plurality of segments 16, the outer portions of which are formed with a conical surface 17 and a shoulder cooperating with the edge of the opening at the point of body 1 to bring about the closing of the main clasp through axial displacement thereof toward the interior of body 1. This axial displacement is caused by a spring 19 confined between a shoulder 20 on cage 29 and a shoulder 21 on the body 1.

In the first form of construction, the means provided for automatically retracting the lead pencil unit in use when another selected unit is projected includes a sleeve 24 (Fig. 2) with as many cam slots .25 as the main pencil body has pencil units 2.

This sleeve 24 surrounds the entire group of pencil units 2, and each push tab 3 passes through a related cam slot 25. As also shown in Figure 2, each slot 25 presents on the side of the pencil point a portion 26 in the shape of a helicoidal incline and, on the opposite side, a shoulder 27. Moreover, this sleeve 24 is coaxial and slightly spaced at its lower end 28 in relation to a cage 29 which carries main clasp 15.

In this form of construction, the return of a lead pencil unit to the storage position is effected by manual pressure on the push tab 3 of another selected one of the units 2 due to the shank of said tab eifecting turning of the sleeve 24. That is to say, the push tab 3 of such newly selected unit comes then to bear against shoulder 27 of the corresponding slot 25 and transmits its axial movement to sleeve 24 so that after a short angular and axial movement of the sleeve, the edge 28 thereof comes to bear against the upper edge of cage 29 connected to the main clasp 15. This clasp is thus projected outwardly of body 1, which enables the segments 16 to spread apart, thereby releasing the clasp 22 of the unit 2 which is to be drawn back into the position of storage by its spring.

In the course of this retracting movement, tab 3 of the lead holder returns to its position of rest by virtue of spring 5 and acts on the helicoidal incline 26 of its corresponding slot 25, which causes sleeve 24 to turn by an angle sufficient to disengage the shank of tab 3 from shoulder 27. The user can then push the newly selected unit forward until its clasp 22 separates the segments 16 of the main clasp 15 and the newly selected unit is then held in writing position byvthe said main clasp. 7

Thus, in Figures 1 and 2, when an individual lead aeeaaee pencil unit 2 is projected to writing position, the unit 2 which is in use is automatically returned to storage position because of the actuation of the cam sleeve 24 by the finger tab 3 of the unit going into use.

It should also be noted that, in this form of pencil, the hollow post 6 of each unit 2 constitutes a magazine or container for replacement or spare leads, all of said magazines being accessible by unscrewing a cap 30.

The second form of construction shown in Figure 3 also comprises a main tubular body 1a in which are provided lead pencil units 2a also having finger tabs 3a adapted to be moved in the slots 4a of body 111.

In Figure 3, main clasp 15a is of a shape which differs' slightly from that of the first form of construction shown in Figure 1. For example, the part on which the segments 16a are formed is screwed into the conical portion of cage 29a which includes strips 31, said strips 31 being joined to the cage 29a by welding or soldering as clearly shown by the short dashlines in Figure 3, all of which are rigidly secured at their upper ends to a disk 32 into which is screwed a push-button 33 telescopically mounted for relative sliding movement on the upper end of body 1a. Said cage 29a, strips 31 and disk 32 are all tensioned by spring 19a to retracted position.

In this embodiment, the opening of main clasp 15a is controlled by depressing push-button 33 which, through the strips 31 of cage 29a, pushes main clasp 15a outwardly, thus enabling segments 16a to spread apart and release clasp 22a.

In the form of construction shown in Figure 3, a

single return spring 34 is provided to return the lead pencil units 2a into their storage position. This spring 34- surrounds the lower end of units 2a and rests at its lower end on the edge of cage 29a adjacent the inset lower ends of strips 31 and, at the other end, bears, through the intermediary of a ring 38, against an abutment 35 provided on casing am of each individual unit and forming an extension of the corresponding push tab 3a.

In Figure 3, a magazine or container for replacement leads is provided in each pencil unit 2a. The rear portion of the tubular casing 100a of each lead holder 2a which forms such magazine is closed by a plug 36 which is simply frictionally inserted into the end of piece Matt, said plug 36 having hook-like prongs extending therefrom for allowing easy removal of said plug 36 from the pencil unit casing in order to introduce or remove leads therefrom, as clearly seen in Figure 3. Thus, to reach the replacement leads, it will merely be necessary to unscrew push button 33 and, then remove the plugs 36.

From the preceding description of Figure 3, it will be seen that to place one of the lead holder units 2a into the active position, the tab 3a of the corresponding lead holder is pushed toward the point of the main pencil body until the clasp 22a, becoming engaged in collar 37 of main clasp a, causes a displacement of the latter toward the exterior against the action of spring 19a. This displacement results in the opening of the main clasp 15a, thus permitting the clasp 22a of the pencil unit to become engaged therein. The main clasp, by closing behind clasp 22a, maintains the individual lead pencil unit in the active position.

The retraction of a selected lead holder is effected by simply depressing push button 33. This causes an outward displacement of clasp 15a which permits its opening and thus the disengagement of the lead pencil unit which was held in the active position. The return spring 34 then brings the disengaged lead pencil unit back toward the interior of body 1a.

Thus, according to Figure 3, the bringing into play of a fresh unit 2a is a two-stage operation. First, it is, necessary to depress cap 33 to cause 32-31-29a to move against the force of spring 13a outwardly and open up clasp 15a to permit segments 16a to release clasp 22a of the unit in writing position, whereupon spring 34 exerts its force on ring 38 to lift abutment 35 of tab 3a. Thereafter, the tab 3a of another unit 2a may be pushed downwardly against the force of spring 34 to cause its clasp 22a to enter main clasp 15a. When the spring 34 is compressed as shown, the lead holding units 2a not in use will remain retracted in the body 1a because the chuck or clasp ends 22a are blocked by the conical inner surface of the cage 29a.

Modifications could be provided for the pencil herein described, especially in regard to the form of the point of the lead holder units.

The advantages that can be obtained with the pencil hereinabove described are: perfect anchorage of the individual lead pencil units. in the body 1 or In in the active position; perfect anchorage of the lead in the lead holder because of the gripping effort exerted by main clasps 15 or 15a on the clasp of each unit. As a result of this second advantage, it is no longer necessary to use colored leads of special shape, for instance, square leads, since each pencil unit is capable of holding any ordinary lead regardless of cross-sectional shape.

I claim:

A mechanical pencil, comprising, in combination, a main body having a tapered point, a main clasp seat at said point, a cage disposed within said body, a main clasp on the lower end of said cage engaging said clasp seat, a cap member slidably mounted on the upper end of said body, a disk member slidably mounted within said body and connected to said cap, strip members mounted within said body and connected at their lower ends to the upper end of said cage and at their upper ends to said disk member, said strip members being spaced from each other, a plurality of pencil units disposed in said body, the lower portion of each pencil unit being positioned within the upper portion of said cage when each pencil unit isnot in its active position, each of said pencil units having a tubular casing member, said body having as many slots in the walls thereof as there are pencil units, an abutment member on the upper portion of each tubular casing member, a ring member positioned within said body and about said pencil units, said ring member engaging each abutment member of each tubular casing member when the pencil unit including its tubular casing member is in active position, first spring means between said cage and said ring urging said ring against said each abutment member to pencil retracting position, a fingercontrolled tab member connected to each abutment member on the upper portion of the tubular casing member of each pencil unit, each tab member being slidable in one of said main body slots for moving its respective pencil unit downwardly, each of said pencil units including a tubular shank having a longitudinal slot therein and a lead clasp thereon having a longitudinal slot contiguous with the shank longitudinal slot, whereby the lead is tightly held when the pencil unit is maintained in writing position by the main clasp, said shank being connected at its upper portion to the tubular casing member at its lower portion, said main clasp having a collar at its upper portion, the lower portion of the inner wall of said collar being inwardly inclined, thereby forming a shoulder whereby said main clasp will be displaced outwardly upon downward movement of the pencil unit, an abutment on the inner surface of said main body, an abutment at the upper portion of said main clasp and engaging the lower portion of said cage, said latter abutment being spaced from said former abutment, and a second spring means being positioned between said abutments and about said main clasp for normally urging said main clasp and said cage toward the interior, whereby the tab member of a pencil unit may be pushed toward the tapered point of said body against the action of the first spring means until the pencil unit slotted clasp causes displacement of said References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,136,290 Fend Nov. 8, 1938 10 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Sept. 29, 1941 France Feb. 18, 1942 Addition to 855,338 Italy Jan. 24, 1950 Germany Oct. 11, 1951 Germany May 8, 1952 France June 30, 1954 France June 30, 1954 

